Why Blogging is Critical for Tech Professionals
I have a confession to make: I keep this blog not entirely out of a desire to express myself. I don’t necessarily have an undying need to record my thoughts and share them with the public. In fact, I began writing out of obligation—it was integrated in to the curriculum of a program for data science, in which I had enrolled.
Last week, while biking with a friend down the Blackstone River Greenway, he offered praise for a recent post of mine and commented that it was cool that my program required blogging. I hate to admit that he’s right—to be frank, blogging feels like a chore, even when it’s not—but the value it provides is extensive, in ways that I’m not sure most realize before writing themselves.
Blogging is not an assignment that I’m ever eager to do. I was inspired to pursue data science for many reasons—fascination with what is happening in the field, the fun puzzle-like quality of the logical reasoning involved in coding, its pervasive relevance to just about any industry—but certainly not due to anything such as a desire to write more. To compound the burden of this seemingly auxiliary activity, I care about the presentation of any public facing work I do, ergo I’m obliged to research thoroughly, write with genuine intention, and endeavor to deliver the best work that I can.
That, I imagine, is an intended consequence of making blogging a requirement. By developing the discipline to regularly write on a subject, the writer expands their knowledge within the domain, while simultaneously learning how to communicate better, expanding their presence in the industry of which they are writing, and reinforcing a multitude of other skills that certainly apply everywhere in the writer’s professional life.
I would like to emphasize some of these things in the spirit of encouraging anyone who is tepid about writing about their field or fascination, and maybe even change the mind of anyone blogging that still finds it to be little more than a chore. While I’m sharing these thoughts on the utility and importance of blogging for data science and tech in particular, the reasoning truly applies to any industry or interest in which successful communication requires practice.
Communication is Paramount
par·a·mount | ˈperəˌmount |adjective
1. more important than anything else; supreme.
Successful, effective communication is key to success with everything, because to communicate precisely, in a manner that can be perfectly absorbed by the audience, is to achieve understanding. In our professional lives we need to communicate well for everything to be copacetic, but generally we need to communicate well so that our needs may be heard and understood.
In the context of technical fields, jargon is a necessity, as it allows for precision with language, yet with every word that you add to your vocabulary, you learn a word that someone else doesn’t know. This is a double edged sword… as it allows you to improve communication in certain contexts, while not in others. I would hope that no one would ever judge the pursuit of a comprehensive vocabulary to ever be detrimental, and yet it’s important to realize that exacting language in the ear of the uninformed is worthless in that context (unless the listener is quick at googling and good at comprehension).
There is an art to speaking about complex concepts in a manner that doesn’t overwhelm the listener, and there are a few tricks and skills to always employ excellent communication in spite of this:
- Use your intuition and social cues to notice when a conversational partner is not following what you are saying. E.g., nodding along and saying, “uh-huh” is a good indicator that they don’t understand, are distracted or uninterested, or simply want you to wrap up so they can say what is on their mind. Emotional intelligence is as critical as general intelligence for this reason.
- Remember how you were originally able to come to understand the words that you use. Ensure that you can define the words you use, or express what you mean whenever prompted to elaborate.
- Practice explaining complex concepts as though you were explaining them to children—i.e., people that you would reasonably expect not to understand.
The above wouldn’t seem to be very useful for blogging… yet, practicing the above where you can will develop your ability to communicate in the contexts where you can’t.
Effective communication is what facilitates growth, flourishing, & companionship. I definitively believe that it, coupled with compassion, would provide the solutions to all of the world’s problems.
The Art of Storytelling
In the effort to improve communication, developing your ability as a storyteller will pay off in spades. A good story is captivating in a manner that elicits presence and purpose—two very good things for communication. Becoming a great storyteller is not easy, however like anything else it can be practiced and learned. Getting your audience interested right away is a good practice to improve storytelling. As is leaving your audience wanting more, as in employing cliffhangers. Humor can be an effective tool to disarm your audience, or to balance the often dry nature of dense material and complex concepts.
A blog gives you an outlet to develop the skill of storytelling. We tell a story not only in our words, but also in how we present ourselves to the world. The autobiographical profiles that we put together on Medium, LinkedIn, and our professional websites tell a story of who we are to clients, potential employers, and others who may be curious about our careers. If you can get someone interested in any of these places, you have told a captivating story. Which ultimately leads to another benefit of blogging…
A Medium for Connecting with Similar Minds ———& Other Rewards
Keeping a blog provides a fantastic avenue where we may engage with other professionals and enthusiasts of our interests. It is empowering for the writer in many ways, as it bolsters confidence in speaking about their fascination and broadly deepens their connection to the landscape of ideas within their field.
While “imposter syndrome” and the pitiful circumstance of low self-esteem can cause rampant doubt, developing the discipline of sharing your writing is good for you, even if you feel that you may not have much of value to share. Even better, it’s good for someone else—if your writing can capture a reader’s attention, it has inherently been valued by the reader during that time. For which we should be grateful, and hope that we are understood.
